


gives me the butterflies, gives me away

by Kate_Reid



Series: Never Be Your Curse [9]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, i'm sorry it's been two years, the burn becomes less glacial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:53:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26056027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kate_Reid/pseuds/Kate_Reid
Summary: The one where two awkward smiles meet across a bar . . .
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Never Be Your Curse [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1085898
Comments: 12
Kudos: 31





	gives me the butterflies, gives me away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [situation_normal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/situation_normal/gifts), [Flawless_Sorcerer_Supreme](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flawless_Sorcerer_Supreme/gifts), [WinglessOne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinglessOne/gifts).



> FINALLY!

Rey was in a dream; she knew it. How could things have gone so well for her otherwise? 

Somehow, she’d arranged herself in the outfit Rose had helped with--from underwear to accent jewelry, Rey was perfection.

Once dressed, she hadn’t put a foot wrong. Amilyn and Larma had been pleased to see her; Mayor Organa had favored her with one of the dazzling smiles Rey had only ever seen on magazine pages.

And there had been nary a hitch during Rey’s presentation of her rendering. Mayor Organa had stepped back and allowed her to put forth her vision in her own words and painstakingly composed images. 

At first, Rey had felt abandoned, adrift in a sea of sharks. But it was easy to immerse herself in her own creation, to escape inside it and explain it from its depths.

Once she came up from her dive, applause and cheers surrounded her. Her bosses looked ecstatic; the Mayor was overjoyed. 

So. It had gone well, apparently. Numbly, she accepted congratulations from all sides, smiled at everyone and no one. Finally, after a few more speeches, the ceremony wound to a close.

*******

Rey stumbled onto the sidewalk, eyes blinking at the fading sunlight of the late afternoon. 

Sensibly, she decided that running into the street to celebrate her triumph might not be wise. 

But she remembered a glass of champagne that might await her. It was only a couple blocks away and would be poured by someone who had no idea of her route to this moment. 

*******

Rey pushed into the front door of Snoke’s, marched up to the bar and set herself determinedly on a stool.

Kylo looked up from the rack of glasses he’d just set down.

Rey looked up from the small clutch she’d placed on the bar before her.

Their eyes met. In a whirl of memories of subway speed and stolen glances, of shy smiles and dropped bags, they saw each other.

“I . . . didn’t think you’d come here.” He spoke from surprise, but as soon as he’d said the words, he wanted to kick himself. Was this the first impression he’d wanted to give?

“I almost didn’t,” she admitted, deciding that simplicity was the way to go with this stranger. Her mind kept her from elaborating--he didn’t need to know of her desire to make him _understand_.

“So, what can I get you?” he asked, grateful that a drink order would allow him to keep up a non-awkward conversation. “I know I promised you champagne, but you can have whatever you’d like.”

“Champagne would actually be great.” Rey smiled. “I’m celebrating, in my own little way.” She watched him turn, bend, open a cooler, then bring up a green bottle.

Kylo couldn’t help but give it a little flair, placing the bottle on the counter with a flourish, then twirling the flute as he brought it off the shelf. He spun the bottle opener, popping the cork with a showy gesture, then finally poured her drink, filling the flute nearly to the top, much higher than he should have.

As soon as he was done, her eyes made it worth it to him. Worth his seriousness, his silly attempt at showmanship, worth his solemnity as he prepared her drink. 

Rey couldn’t help but smile as she watched Kylo pour her champagne. His moves were straight out of an 80s bartender movie, but the look on his face was utterly earnest. Even in the midst of his flashiness, she noticed that not a single motion was wasted. She could tell that he was eager for approval, but was also instantly reassured by her willingness to give it. 

So many things had passed between them, then culminated in Rey’s lifted glass and first sip from the fizzing flute. Their initial conversation echoed--he’d lifted her fallen bag and they’d casually exchanged bits of themselves. 

Each created fantasies in their spare time in their own ways. Kylo painted the sweeping lines of fictional starships; Rey drew the things that might make them work.

“Thank you,” she breathed through the bubbles traveling straight to her head.

“Well, I promised.” He hoped his shrug came off as cool and self-deprecating as he intended. “Anyway, what are you celebrating?”

“I suppose there’s no harm in saying now,” she replied, her grin lifted by the fizz. Rey set down the flute and leaned forward. “You know the Ahch-To Tower project? I _won_. They picked _my design._ ” 

“No kidding?” was all Kylo could think to say without saying too much.

“None at all! Mayor Organa showed up at my office and scared me and everything!” Rey beamed; any idea of playing it cool was long gone. 

Her glee hid Kylo’s flinch from her. This relieved him. He didn’t want to ruin her happy day with his gloomy self. She’d done something tremendous and deserved to have her moment. 

“That’s impressive!” said Kylo, as soon as he realized that he should be replying. And he meant what he said, belated as it was. One would have to be truly great to catch his mother’s notice. And who would know that better than her own son, who’d always seemed to fall short? Indeed, Rey’s feat was truly admirable. 

Kylo grabbed a glass, dug ice from the pit, topped it with water, then gulped it. His decision to stay hydrated made perfect sense to him. 

“Thirsty?” she asked, cocking her head. _Well,_ Kylo thought. It might not have made perfect sense to _her_.

“Maybe a little,” Kylo offered, skin crawling with his ridiculousness. Said ridiculousness was the only thing he could blame for what he said next. “Hydration is important, you know.” _Why couldn’t he just shut up?!_ He’d be lucky to be left with any tiny shred of his pride.

Rey was so glad she’d come here. Her Subway Prince-- _Kylo,_ she must remember to call him--was adorable. He’d put her at ease immediately, serving up her champagne with a smile and blushing charmingly when she spoke to him. She’d been afraid that her Ahch-To Tower win was something that only she’d care about. This kind man helped make her feel that she was worth celebrating.

She’d drink to that. 

But when she grabbed her glass again, she found that she’d finished her champagne. And there he was, standing behind the bar, green bottle in hand, waiting to catch her eye and gain approval for a refill.

She nodded her assent, and once again he poured generously.

Kylo tried not to stare as she sipped from her flute. But the line of her arm, her hand, her wrist, her chin, her neck as she tilted her head with the glass . . . it was nearly irresistible, a series of lovely angles. He tried as hard as he could to commit them to his memory. After all, he’d already been able to do that once--his rendering of her dancing sat on an easel in his studio even now.

The bubbles had gone to her head, hadn’t they? Rey found herself swaying absently to the music overhead, smiling widely and unreservedly at the cute bartender. But he matched her, smile for smile, grin for grin. 

And then he asked her _the question._

“Tell me about your work.” Kylo leaned on the bar, relaxed, smiling, attentive. She was another artist, wasn’t she? And artists always loved to talk about their creations, regardless of their quality. Even the worst ones had something to say about the things they’d made. And he knew that she was far from the worst, found that he was interested in her response.

“Well,” she began, after another taste of the delicious champagne, “I think I told you that I like to draw things that might belong in my favorite series. My design was something I thought might work on Arrakis--in the desert. So I incorporated energy from the sun, careful use of water.” Rey fought the urge to cringe as soon as she’d spoken. 

Kylo replied before he thought. “Arrakis-- _Dune_ \--desert planet,” he murmured.

Rey smiled. He _did_ get it. She’d been afraid she’d turn him off, but it was clear she hadn’t. His reference to the movie made her smile, but all she wanted to know now was _whether he’d read the books._

The happy expression that spread across Rey’s face lifted Kylo’s heart. The golden bubbles of the champagne seemed to flow through her being. He was glad he’d asked about what she did. As he looked up at her from the rack of glasses he was drying, his eye caught the television set in the corner of the bar.

Before he could stop himself, he was saying, “Look, it’s you!” 

Rey spun on her stool, giggling as she looked up to where he was pointing.

There was the Mayor, of course--standing serene, pleased, and perfectly put together next to his Aunts Amilyn and Larma. Ben watched Leia introduce Rey and was surprised that the obvious pride on his mother’s face didn’t sting him as much as the _thought_ of it had before. No, he found himself drawn in by it.

Ben’s admiration of Rey was the first thing he’d had in common with his mother for a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> So, here we are. I'm sorry I made you all wait so long. Thank you for sticking with this. There's more to come!
> 
> Thank you, as always, to my beloved team. You ladies provide so much more than help with fic. Bless you for your kindness, your patience, and your friendship.
> 
> [Come say hi!](https://linktr.ee/stainlessstyled)


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